One of Ellen Hopkins books Burned starts out with a simple girl named Pattyn Von Stratten living in a Mormon home with six siblings, who are all girls. She lives with both parents who are very unhappily married but make everything seem like a normal LDS family. Her father beats her mother to a pulp regularly. He is a violent man addicted to what Pattyn calls 'Jonny', referring to a certain brand of whiskey.
In her life everything was laid out for her. Go to church, go to school, and then go home. A single thought wasn't even supposed to go through her mind and life was supposed to be 'smooth sailing'. But when she finally gets noticed by the boys at school, her life turns upside down. Religion, sex, and love are things uncertain to her now and nothing seems real. Her new secret life was going great until her dad caught her in a compromising position and sent her to live with her aunt in the backcountry of Nevada. There she finds life in a simpler form. She finds forever love and compassion in otherwise overlooked area of her family. By the end of the summer she learns how to drive, how to ride a horse, and how to love with all of her heart.

This book is inspiring and will touch your soul. It tells of a girl's transformation into an independent woman. You will never want to put this book down, you want to find out everything detail about this girl and her story. Ellen Hopkins writing is phenomenal and truly puts you in the story. I recommend this book for any teenager confused with their religion or love. It will inspire you to take chances but will make you want to love your family with all your heart. This book will definitely leave you wanting more.